EU parliament group calls for funding to rebuild Iran

The proposal comes as the European Union maintains a tough policy toward Iran, including sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic.

By David Israel, TPS

A European Parliament political group is calling for additional European Union funding to help rebuild Iran, despite the bloc’s increasingly hard-line policy toward the Islamic Republic.

Such a move could put Europe on a collision course with the US over sanctions.

The proposal, seen by The Press Service of Israel, is contained in an amendment to the EU’s 2027 budget submitted by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the Parliament’s second-largest political group.

The amendment also calls for increased funding for the reconstruction of Gaza and for EU missions in the region.

Amendment 61 “stresses that the reconstruction of Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran requires this budgetary reinforcement,” and “Regrets the considerable initial reduction in commitment and payment appropriations.”

The proposal comes as the European Union maintains a tough policy toward Iran, including sanctions targeting the Islamic Republic.

The European Parliament and EU member states have also taken measures in response to Iran’s policies and actions.

In January, S&D expressed full solidarity with Iranian protesters, condemning mass violence, executions, and crackdowns against citizens demanding freedom and democracy.

The S&D Group has also urged the EU Council to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization and extend targeted sanctions against human rights violators.

At the same time, S&D has cautioned against “outside military interventions or operations conducted outside the framework of international law.”

S&D leaders have criticized both the oppressive regime in Tehran and what they describe as “vague or uncoordinated responses from Western actors regarding military escalations in the region, emphasizing diplomatic pressure and lawful measures instead.”

The budget amendment also “welcomes … the reinforcement of Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) missions, including the EU Border Assistance Mission for the Rafah Crossing Point (EUBAM Rafah).”

It “calls in this regard for appropriate financial and human resources for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf.”

The amendment “Further urges the EU to create a dedicated financial envelope to ensure stable, appropriate and predictable financial support for the reconstruction of Gaza.”